Automatic winding apparatus



United States Patent [72] Inventors ThomasJ. Hofbauer 2,664,250 12/1953Friedman 242/75.5UX 48 Lake Trail E.; 2,930,536 3/1960 Stalhuth 242/25Aggx i j sgzgb Archung Road Primary Examiner-Nathan L. Mintz 1 pp No-730,497 Attorney Andrew L. Bam

[22] Filed May 20,1968

[45] Patented Dec. 22, 1970 ABSTRACT: An apparatus is disclosed forautomatically winding flexible material under substantially constanttension [54] ggm gggg gi APPARATUS sequentially on rotating multiplereels driven in unison by a g g variable speed motor. The speed of themotor is controlled by [52] U.S. CI..... 242/673 voltage control meansresponsive to the various positions of a [51] Int. Cl. B65h 17/02pivoted arm responsive to the variations in tension of the flexi- [50]Field of Search 242/673, ble material. A measuring device over which theflexible 67.1,75.52 material passes intermittently activates asolenoid-operated spring-biased plunger on a slidable indexing carriagewhich is [56] References cued biased to movement but prevented frommoving by the UNITED STATES PATENTS plunger sequentially engaging stopson a base frame to hold 2,658,695 11/1953 Atchason 242/78.1 the carriagein Place while each reel is being wouhd- A p 2,973,912 3/1961 Wilburn242/25A biased pivoted guide arm on the carriage diverts the from3,185,403 5/1965 Bean 242/673 each completed reel 19 the hex! adjacentreel p the 1,976,61 1 10/1934 Gulliksen 242/75.52x completion of eachmovement of the carriage- Q I 36 M1 "W l/m I F 2 PATENTEU DEC22 I970SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVI'IN'I'UICS THOMAS J. HOFBAUER FRANK L. SCHOLTENPATENTEDUEBEBIQM I 9549.099 sum 2 or 2 INVIUJ'W/ 1H5 THOMAS J. HOFBAUERFRANK L SCHOLTEN AUTOMATIC WINDING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF INVENTION Theinvention relates to winding apparatus including a plurality of reelsrotating together for receiving flexible material. Control means areprovided for controlling the speed of the motor so that the flexiblematerial is wound on the reels under substantially constant tension. Ameasuring device is provided for intermittently activating a slidableindexing carriage which has means thereon for positioning the flexiblematerial so that it is wound sequentially on each of the reels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present inventionrelates to automatic winding apparatus for sequentially winding flexiblematerial on multiple reels.

2. Description of Prior Art Virtually all flexible materials, such asmagnetic recording tape, etc., are stored on reels or similar devices.The winding process is accomplished on winding machines which have alarge supply reel and a smaller reel which is to be wound or filled withtape. A significant loss in productive output is encountered when themachine is stopped to remove the wound reel and an empty reel is placedon the machine for the next winding. The usual method comprises stoppingthe machine, cutting the end of the tape which is attached to the tapebeing supplied by the supply reel, replacing the completed reel with anempty reel and rethreading the end of the tape from the supply reel tothe hub of the empty reel and restarting the machine for the next cycleof winding. The down time experienced becomes significant when manyreels are to be wound and when the winding portion of the cycle is shortrelative to the time necessary to reload. To alleviate the problem, manymethods have been devised but all have required cutting and rethreadingthe tape. As can be readily understood, operating of such machines istime consuming and costly.

It is the object of this invention to provide an automatic windingsystem which will greatly simplify the process in that it permits thesequential winding of multiple reels without stopping the windingmachine, thus eliminating the down time associated with changing thereels. The only time the machine needs to be stopped is when the supplyreel needs to be replaced.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a measuringdevice for periodically actuating an indexing mechanism to sequentiallywind multiple reels.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for a device forcontrolling the speed of the motor driving the reels, the device beingresponsive to the tension of the tape as it is sup plied to the multiplereels. Additional improvement reside in the means for automaticallystopping the motor when the -winding of the last reel of the multiplereels has been completed.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the automatic winding apparatus inassociation with a supply reel and recorder.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation takenon the line 2-2 of FIG. 3

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the automatic winding ap paratus.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the manner in which theflexible material is continuously wound.

The winding apparatus illustrated in the drawings is designed to windaudio tape on multiple reels rotating together and the description willbe confined to that use. However, it will be obvious that the inventionenvisages the use of the apparatus for the winding of any flexiblematerial, such as, line, ribbon, wire, film and similar material onmultiple reels.

Ordinarily, the process of duplicating tape consists of playing a mastertape (called a dubmaster) on a reading or playback machine (called areader). The audio program from the dubmaster is amplified and fed intoseveral recording machines (called slaves") which have supply reels ofraw (blank) tape and empty reels on the take up side. As the raw tapepasses the record heads on the slave, it is recorded with the program ofthe dubmaster and taken up on the empty reel. Each time the dubmasterhas passed by the playback heads on the reader once, a copy is recordedon each slave in the system and the cycle is stopped for reloading,i.e., the dubmaster is rewound to the starting position and the finishedcopies on reels are removed from each slave and replaced by an emptyreel which is threaded with the end of tape from the supply reel. Thecycle is then repeated.

A typical program takes about 1 minute to record. However, the reloadportion of the cycle also takes as much as 1 minute, thus it is obviousthat generally, only 50 percent of ideal output is realized using thistechnique.

Earlier the inventors of this process had developed a method to obtain asignificantly increased output of the duplicating equipment. This wasdone by developing a reader which enabled the dubmaster to be splicedinto an endless loop. Instead of storing the dubmaster on a supply reelwhich was fed past the playback heads to a take up reel and thenrewound, the master was stored in a basket in a serpentine wind. Thetail end of the dubmaster was spliced to the head end such that when theend of the tape was reached, the beginning would follow through andcontinue the process for the next copies without stopping to rewind.

Since the reader was cycling the dubmaster continuously, the slaves werealso run continuously. This was done by using a take up reel which waslarge enough to accept all of the tape on the supply reel. The processwas stopped only when all of the tape on the supply reel was consumed.The recorded or finished reel comprised several copies of the dubmastersprogram or album all in series with one another and separated by a shortblank passage or a special frequency tone which was also in thedubmaster. This large reel was then separated into individual copies ina subsequent operation. The result was a maximum use of the duplicatingequipment, which controlled the plant capacity by adding less expensiveequipment to separate the large reels into individual programs oralbums.

, The present invention when used with the continuous loop dubmastersystem will eliminate the need to separate the large reels in anoperation subsequent to duplicating since the separating technique cantake place as the tape is taken up in the recording operation.

A supply reel 1 contains the audio tape 2 to be sequentially wound onmultiple reels. The tape may be prerecorded from the dubmaster or maypass through a recording head 3 to be recorded as it leaves the supplyreel. The tape is driven by a driving roller 4 to the automatic windingapparatus 10.

The automatic winding apparatus 10 as illustrated in the drawingsconsists of the following principal parts which are carried on a baseframe 16. A pretensioned pivoted control arm 12 with guide members 11 issecured to the frame. Rotation of the arm in the direction of travel ofthe tape is limited by stop member 5 which carries detents 6 which alsoact as guides for the tape. Rotation of the arm shaft 15 operates acontrol device 13 which regulates the voltage of a constant torquevariable speed motor 14. The control device may consist of apotentiometer which controls the voltage of the motor in the usualmanner. The shaft 15 is connected to the wiper arm of a potentiometer.Variations in the tension of the tape as it passes through guide members11 and detents 6 causes the arm and the shaft to assume certainpositions which varies the voltage to the motor and controls the speedof that motor. An alternate preferred embodiment of a control device 13comprises an electric eye and a photocell having interposed therebetweena fixed piece of polarized material and a rotatable piece of polarizedmaterial which rotates with the shaft 15 of the control arm. Theposition of the arm thereby regulates the amount of light reaching thephotocell, the output of which controls the voltage of the motor.

An indexing carriage l7 slidably mounted in the frame is of stops 20,best shown in FIG. 3. These stops are adjustable so as to conform to thespacing of the multiple reels 21. If it is desired to use reels of adifferent width to accommodate tape or other material of a differentwidth, it is only necessary to adjust the stops so that they arepositioned relative to the center of the appropriate reel. The stops maybe on a threaded rod or may be on a smooth rod with compressiblematerial :between each stop. Takeup nuts on the end of the rod compressthe material between the stops so that the correct spacing is achieved.

The spring holds the end of the plunger 19 against a stop 20 until suchtime as the solenoid is actuated and pulls the plunger momentarilyinward from the stop allowing the carriage 17 to be pulled by the weight18 until the plunger engages the next stop.

A sensing device 22 controls the actuation of the plunger. As set forthabove, each program on the tape 2 is separated by a blank or contains afrequency signal. In addition, in another embodiment the signal couldconsist of metallic contact material painted on or afiixed to the tape2. The tape passes around this device which comprises a can likestructure fitted over a recording head which is spaced on all sides fromthe interior of the can. This spacing acts as a mechanical filter. Therecording head also acts as a wave length filter, the filtering beingcompletely independent of the speed of the tape. When a frequency signalis used, the filter also integrates the signal on the tape with time byusing the length of the tone as well as the frequency and the amplitudeof the signal. The frequency signal, which also may be a void ratherthan a positive signal, is sensed through a filter network to actuatethe solenoid which causes plunger 19 to momentarily withdraw fromengagement with a stop.

' A cable 23 extends upward from the weight over a grooved idler pulley24 and is affixed to one end of an L-shaped linkage 25 pivoted on thecarriage and spring biased in the position shown in FIG. 3. The otherend of the linkage is linked to a detent 26 which extends downwardlyfrom a pivoted arcuately sword shaped guide arm 27 having guides thereonfor the tape. The guide arm 27 is spring biased in the position as shownin solid lines in FIG. 2. When the carriage 17 slides to the next stop,the inertia of the weight 18 overcomes the spring tension of the linkage25 and causes the end of the linkage toward the weight to be pivoted inthat direction which causes the other end of the linkage to moveinwardly away from the guide arm. This causes detent 26 to move in thesame direction thereby momentarily pivoting the guide arm down betweenthe flanges of an empty reel to be wound to initiate winding of theempty reel. In order to cause the arcuate guide arm 27 to pivot towardthe hub of a reel 21 to force the tape into proper position when thecarriage 17 shifts, other techniques can be used such as a linkageconnected directly to the solenoid plunger 19 or the use of a companionsolenoid plunger. The guide arm 27 is of such length that its endextends in to the reels and over the hub of the reels when it is in itsdownward position. The purpose of the shape and length of the guide armis to make sure that the tape is=properly wound on the hub of the reelat the beginning of the cycle and that it cannot divert back to thepreviously wound reel. Once the winding has started to wind on,the hubof the empty reel, there is no danger of such diversion and the guidearm 27 assumes its normal position.

The multiple reels are clamped together on a rotatable shaft I 28b) stopcollars 29 and 30. The shaft is removably supported reels can beimmediately inserted. Also, the inclined slots permits sets of reels ofvarious diameters to be accommodated. The motor shaft 32 is connected toa rotatable shaft 33 on which there is a roller 34. The roller is incontact with the edge of the reels and drives the reels. When the supplyreel 1 is emptied before all the reels 2] are wound, the motor 14 willcontinue to run and its speed will increase. To prevent the undesirableincrease in speed, a switch is electrically connected to the motor toautomatically shut it off.

In operation, the tape 2 is driven at a constant velocity to the windingapparatus through the guides 11 on the control arm 12. The position onthe control arm is directly related to the tension of the tape as itleaves the guides on the arm. In order to maintain the tape as woundunder substantially constant tension, the change in position of thecontrol arm 12 varies the voltage of the motor 14 through an appropriatecontrol device 13, such as described above. When the signal at the endof a program in the tape is transmitted, via the sensing device 22,through the filter network, it pulses the solenoid which causes theplunger 19 to momentarily retract from its normal spring-biased positionengaging a stop 20. When the plunger 19 is retracted, the carriage 17 isurged by the weight 18 until the plunger engages the next stop. Thestops 20' are positioned to correspond to the center to center distancebetween each reel 21. The tape then passes through the guides on thearcuate guide arm 27 to the appropriate reel. When the carriage 17 isstopped, the inertia of the weight 18 increases the tension in the cable23 enough to overcome the counterbias of the spring in the linkage 25.This is a temporary force lasting only during deceleration of theweight, but it is long enough and great enough to cause the arcuate arm27 to pivot downward fully into a reel to be wound and return to itsnormal position.

Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that as the tape is directed fromone reel to the next during the shifting sequence, it will wrap aroundthe hub of the empty reel because the reel is revolving. The part of thetape which wraps over the edge of the flange and connects to the hubwill be pushed to the side as subsequent layers are wound in theprocess.

When the process is complete, i.e., all reels are full, the shaftcarrying the reels is removed by lifting out of the slotted arbor. A newshaft with empty reels is then put in its place. The full reels areseparated from each other when they are removed from the shaft.

We claim:

1. A winding apparatus for flexible material comprising:

multiple rotatable reels;

driving means for rotating said reels;

means for controlling the speed of rotation of said driving means;

a base having stops thereon;

a carriage slidably mounted on said base;

means for moving said carriage;

holding means for engaging said stops;

means for actuating said holding means so as to sequentially engage eachsaid stop; and

guide means on said carriage for guiding flexible material sequentiallyon each multiple reel.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said multiple reels arepositioned on a shaft removably supported in an arbor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said driving means is avariable speed motor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said stops are adjustable.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said holding means is asolenoid-actuated plunger.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said guide means is pivotedand actuated by the inertia caused by the means for moving saidcarriage.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said guide means is actuatedby the inertia caused by the means for moving said carriage.

cally stopping said driving means.

9. A winding apparatus for flexible material comprising a plurality ofcoaxially aligned reels, actuating means disposed on at least onepredetermined portion of said flexible material, a drive unit forsimultaneously rotating said reels, indexing means for transferring saidflexible material onto said reels, and means responsive to the presenceof said actuating means for effecting relative translational movementbetween said indexing means and said reels to sequentially wind saidflexible material onto each of said reels.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said'flexible material is magnetictape, and wherein said actuating means is a frequency signal applied toat least one predetermined portion of said tape.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said drive unit com prises avariable speed motor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising means responsive tovariations in tension of said flexible material for controlling thespeed of said motor.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said indexing means includes guidemeans adapted to guide said flexible material onto said reels duringsaid transfer, and means responsive to said relative translationalmovement for activating said guide means.

14 A winding apparatus for flexible material comprising a plurality ofrotating reels, indexing means for transferring said flexible materialonto said reels, means to effect relative translational movement betweensaid reels and said indexing means, said indexing means including guidemeans to guide said flexible material onto said reels during saidtransfer, and means responsive to said relative translational movementsfor moving said guide means towards said reels.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said flexible material is magnetictape, and wherein said guide means is adapted to maintain a constantpredetermined orientation of said tape during said transfer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said means for moving said guidemeans comprises a weight carried by said indexing means and a linkagemeans connected to said guide means and responsive to the relativechanges in inertia between said weight and said indexing means formoving said guide means toward said reels.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said guide means is pivoted in adirection perpendicular to the direction of movement of said indexingmeans.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means responsive tovariations in tension of said flexible material before it is guided ontosaid reels for controlling the speed of rotation of said reels to windsaid flexible material onto said reels at a constant tension.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said indexing means includes guidemeans to guide said flexible material onto said reels during saidtransfer, said guide means adapted to maintain a constant predeterminedorientation of said tape during said transfer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising means responsive tovariations in tension of said flexible material before it is guided ontosaid reels for controlling the speed of rotation of said reels to windsaid flexible material onto said reels at a constant tension.

21. A winding apparatus for flexible material comprising a plurality ofreels, a variable speed drive unit for simultaneously rotating saidreels, indexing means for transferring said materialonto said reels,actuating means disposed on at least one predetermined portion of saidflexible material, means responsive to the presence of said actuatingmeans for effecting relative translational movement between saidindexing means and said reels to sequentially wind said flexiblematerial on each of said reels, and means responsive to variations intension of said flexible material before it is supplied to said reelsfor controlling the speed of said drive unit to supply said flexiblematerial onto said reels at a constant tension.

